The punishment of criminals should be of use; when a man is hanged he is good for nothing.

So it is the human condition that to wish for the greatness of one's fatherland is to wish evil to one's neighbors. The citizen of the universe would be the man who wishes his country never to be either greater or smaller, richer or poorer.

Men are in general so tricky, so envious, and so cruel that when we find one who is only weak, we are too happy.

Man is free at the instant he wants to be.

Such then is the human condition, that to wish greatness for one's country is to wish harm to one's neighbors.

It requires ages to destroy a popular opinion.

Monsieur l'abbé, I detest what you write, but I would give my life to make it possible for you to continue to write.